Why does democracy promote development in some countries and poverty in others?

Democracy is not correlational with development. Put another way, although almost all the wealthy nations in the world are democratic, it is not always the case that democratic institutional arrangements like open elections lead directly to growth. Democratic mechanisms do not guarantee improvement in social welfare through successful policy processes.

Ideally, democracy is a mechanism that ensures competition among a country’s leadership for the promotion of successful policies (Bueno De Mosqueta and Root, 2000:9). It is assumed that voters will dismiss governments that produce policy failures. In other words, leaders compete through effective policies for development. In this sense, democracy ought to be driven by performance. Since leaders are motivated to hold on to power, the risk of being ousted from office if they fail to produce economic growth is an incentive for them to govern for prosperity.

But in the case of the Philippines, democracy is not driven by performance. Rather, democracy is driven by patronage, or loyalty to personalities. Like the politics in India, leaders in the Philippines come to office by virtue of their personal appeal. Thus, they rule by fiat (Bueno de Mosqueta and Root, 2000:11).

This could be attributed to the colonial conception of the role of the state as patron who doles out rewards to its followers for their loyalty. This is the systemic source of corruption in governance because leaders deliberately create failed policies that organize economic opportunities for their followers to collect bribes. The guarantee that they remain in office by buying loyalty is an incentive for them to govern for plunder.

To overhaul this corrupt culture of democracy, the Filipino people must discover, through their struggles with corruption, the legitimate role of the state. They must realize that their leaders are not patrons that dispense favors and they are not clients who return the favors by voting for the patron’s party. Instead, they must understand that leaders are civil servants accountable to them as duty-bearers bound to deliver on their rightful claims to welfare and prosperity. As the sovereign who wield supreme authority, the people must reward its leaders only on the basis of their performance in creating effective policies.

“A new round of scandal has brought democracy in the Philippines to breaking point. If democratic revival is possible it can only come from the people themselves.”
-Steven Rogers

Filipinoes are in search of new democracy.
We are standing in the verge of political maturity by means of the tyranny of the majority.

The obstacle is not political structure, but political culture. Our democratic political system has degenerated to such an extent that those who move within the system are having a hard time keeping their hands totally untainted.

A transition by means of liberal democracy could produce the government structure with more potential and more significant improvements. Civil liberties doesn’t only manifest equality before the law but also the right to petition elected and corrupted officials.

The kind of democracy the Philippines has in the present is dismayingly abused by the people. Sometimes we tend to over react about issues in the government without knowing the truth. We plan to take actions effectively without thinking over the consequences or even pondering if taking these actions would do any better. Maybe having too much democracy here in our country leads us to lack of respect and takes us back to crab mentality.

If Rizal was still alive, he would have embraced the democracy he’ve longed and fought for years ago. But I’m sure he would be dismayed after seing what we have done with it.

Democracy doesn’t eventually lead into progress. In some cases like in our country, where patronage/fidelity to government personalities is the integral part of it, this often leads to the main problem. The patrons give rewards to their followers and consequently, the people remain loyal to them. Basically, there’s a special relationship between the government and the people. but behind this, it is a matter of buying loyalties. Indeed, it is a morbid and a shameful act.

On the other side, Rizal, considering that he’s a humanist, would definitely pity these people who depend their lives on their leaders, not knowing the consequences. Again, until realization strikes the minds of these people that their leaders are not Gods and Goddesses who can make miracles and that they should choose and support their leaders based on their performance, only then we can eliminate such corruption.

I think what’s hard with us Filipino citizens is we base our votes on people who is popular and don’t look at their background first before voting. Or what’s hard also with those who run is they keep making promises but never choose to follow it. “Puro nalang salita”. If those in the gov’t see what they are doing with their fellow citizens and to the country they serve. They should do something about it. Poverty has increased in our country because of the gov’t who serves us. instead of corrupting they should find ways to develop our country more. That’s why we are still known to be a developing country.
If Rizal wer still alive he would have opened up the minds of the gov’t. Like write novels. But in our generation if he died just to renew the gov’t it will still be no use because everything is all on the minds of the gov’t it is for them to change not us people who they serve.

Democracy is not related with development
It does not assure social welfare’s improvement
It is an instrument that ensures competition
Competition among country’s leadership

It is not driven by performance
It is driven by patronage and loyalty
Leaders rule by the virtue of their personal appeal
They rule by authority

They remain in office by buying loyalty
They create failed policies that open chance to collect bribes
A source of corruption in governance
An incentive to govern for plunder

What can we do to fix this corrupt culture?
We must discover the legitimate rule of the state
We must realize that leaders are not patrons
We must understand that they are civil servants
And that they are responsible to the welfare of the society

In the philippines democracy has been differently viewed and runned in the philippines. Democracy referring to the dictionary means 1. government by the people, directly through representatives. 2. a country, etc. with such government. 3. equality of rights, opportunity and treatment. In this case this is not what’s going on in our country. Democracy in our country has a different meaning and it is understood wrongly. In a way that apparently us filipino citizens choose our government through popularity. We should choose those we know who are responsible enough. Our government is like takin over us. They are the ones controlling us. When it should be our free will to speak up and for them to serve us. It is wrong how our government is treating us. They should look at each and everyone of us in an equal way besides democracy is about being equal and to give out more opportunities for us to become richer. We are known in the world as one of where poverty has a high rate. The government should do something about it. Make a difference. If rizal was still alive in our generation him sacrificing himself wouldn’t make any difference. It is up to the people to change and for their conscience to speak up to them to make a change. Rizal would have thought the same if he was a student like me. Because everything that happens now connects to the future.

Democracy is the type of our government that we are allowed to vote, to speak out loud about our government freely, laws are not that strict like any other type and we could easily put it as we are free to do almost everything. Unlike, at Ferdinand Marcos reign, people are not allowed to do most of the things we do today. And, if you ever dared to challenge his rule you could either be in a prison cell or worst, you could wind up dead.

On other matters. To the dismay of others even though our currency is winning over the US currency. People still cant feel the progress of our government, especially us middle class people. Don’t worry our government is improving alright! Improving its ways to put more money in there pockets and less in to his/her countrymen.

If Rizal was still here and alive. I think it would make a very big difference in our government because if his writings were a big threat to the Spaniards when he was alive, what more to his own countrymen.

Democracy… can be both beneficial and devastating. First of all, it enables the people to express their ideas freely without answering to the law. Though this may seem good, people tend to abuse the power they are given and create unecessary chaos and confusion. Democracy also gives us the privilege to vote for who we think is capable in running our government. This could really benefit us if only the majority of the population would vote wisely! unfortunately, most of the people now tend to vote for people who are popular, such as movie stars or celebrities! They sometimes also accept bribes. I think that if Rizal were still alive today, he would certainly be disappointed! He would not approve of the corruption and injustices that our country is full of! It seems that his death caused more damage than good! Though we are all thankful of being able to exercise our freedom, we must stop neglecting our responsibilities and start using our heads! We must always stop and think before we act, think about what the consequences may be. FOr us to prosper we must stop thinking about ourselves and start thinking about what may be good for the whole country!

Democracy describes a small number of related forms of government and also a political philosophy. A common feature of democracy as currently understood and practiced is competitive elections.No universally accepted definition of ‘democracy’ exists, especially with regard to the elements in a society which are required for it. Many people use the term “democracy” as shorthand for liberal democracy.Though the term “democracy” is typically used in the context of a political state, the principles are also applicable to private organizations and other groups.

As Sir Odchimar said, “Democracy is not driven by performance. Rather, democracy is driven by patronage, or loyalty to personalities”. This context shows pur present government, with this idea, democracy goes to the greedy and not for the people. on the other hand some people whose loyalties are bought, they should be educated to resist from such catastrophe to avoid corruption and irresponsible leaders.

The main basis for choosing a leader should be by their performance and not by their loyalty or personality. the people should understand that they are the one that should be served and not to serve.